Blood and Tissue Protozoa Clinical Microbiology Review 258
ORGANISM CLASSIFICATION TRANSMISSION DIAGNOSIS OTHER
Acanthamoeba
Naegleria fowleri
Plasmodium
Causes granulomatous
amebic encephalitis
(GAE) & ulcerative acan-
thamoeba keratitis in
contact lens wearers.
Usually in immunocom-
promised or debilitated.
Causes primary amebic
meningoencephalitis
(PAM).
Causes malaria. Parasites
in RBCs.
Ameba
Ameba
Sporozoan
Swimming in contam-
inated water, inade-
quately disinfected
contact lenses
Swimming in contami-
nated ponds or streams
Anopheles mosquito
Stained smears of culture material.
Histological examination of brain. Trophs
& cysts in corneal scrapings.
Stained smears of culture material. Trophs
in CSF.
Wright’s-stained thick & thin blood smears.
Draw blood just before paroxysm.
continued...
